The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Buba Marwa (Rtd), has warned that Nigeria faces grave social and security consequences if the growing glorification of illicit drug use in popular culture is left unchecked.

Marwa issued the warning on Thursday during the commissioning of the NDLEA’s radio station, Clean Beat 91.5FM, in Abuja, describing the new platform as a strategic weapon in the agency’s broader War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign.

He called on Nigerians, especially entertainers, influencers, educators, parents and community leaders, to join efforts to challenge what he described as a “toxic pop culture” that increasingly portrays substance abuse as fashionable and acceptable among young people.

According to him, the battle against drug abuse can no longer be won solely through arrests and prosecutions, but through sustained education, prevention and cultural reorientation.

“We recognize that behind every statistic of drug abuse is a human being,” Marwa said. “A vulnerable teenager seeking escape; a broken family searching for answers; a brilliant mind derailed but capable of redirection.”

He said the newly established radio station would provide a counter-narrative to destructive social trends by promoting sobriety, recovery stories and accurate information on the dangers of substance abuse.

“We will counter the toxic pop culture that glamourizes drug abuse by replacing it with a vibrant, alternative culture—one that celebrates sobriety, showcases real stories of recovery, and provides accurate, life-saving information,” he stated.

The NDLEA boss warned that failure to address the cultural normalization of drug abuse could have devastating implications for national security, public health and economic productivity.

“If we do not control the narrative today, the consequences tomorrow will be catastrophic,” he said. “Substance abuse is a hydra-headed monster that feeds insecurity, decimates public health, cripples economic productivity, and compromises the very future of our workforce.”

Marwa described the launch of Clean Beat 91.5FM as a “paradigm shift” in the agency’s anti-drug strategy, stressing that radio remains one of the most effective means of reaching ordinary Nigerians across homes, markets and communities.

“While enforcement wins battles, education and prevention win wars,” he added. “True victory against the scourge of substance abuse cannot be achieved solely by the cold steel of handcuffs or the iron bars of a prison cell.”

He noted that the establishment of the station was made possible through the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Broadcasting Commission and international partners.

Marwa urged Nigerian youths to take ownership of the initiative by engaging with the station’s programmes and becoming advocates against drug abuse.

“To all Nigerians, and most especially to our vibrant youth: this station is yours,” he said. “Let us rewrite the story of our generation; let us guard the health of our nation; and let us protect the rhythm of our future.”

The launch drew commendations from local and international stakeholders, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which described the radio initiative as an innovative and people-centred approach to drug control.

Representing the UNODC Country Representative, Dr. Akanidomo Ibanga said the station would help take anti-drug advocacy directly into homes, schools and communities, while supporting implementation of Nigeria’s National Drug Control Master Plan.

Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Charles Ebuebu, described the station as more than a conventional broadcast outlet, saying it represented “the strategic deployment of broadcasting as an instrument of national orientation, behavioural change, youth engagement and social transformation.”

He emphasized that protecting young Nigerians from substance abuse must be treated as a national development priority.

Similarly, the National Orientation Agency, represented by Mr. Bala Musa on behalf of Director-General Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, praised the initiative as a vital platform for citizen reorientation and positive attitudinal change.

The commissioning of Clean Beat 91.5FM comes amid increasing concern over rising drug abuse among Nigerian youths and growing calls for stronger preventive education to complement law enforcement efforts. (AriseNews TV)

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